The invention relates to a mounting clip, and more particularly, to mounting clips that secure a fuel rail with respect to an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine.
A fuel rail assembly can supply fuel to an internal combustion engine. Some fuel rail assemblies may include a fuel rail tube and fuel injectors that are each retained within fuel cups disposed on the fuel rail tube. It is believed that a known arrangement of a fuel rail assembly is mounted with respect to an engine by fuel rail mounting brackets and mounting bolts. It is believed that the fuel rail mounting brackets are secured to the fuel rail tube by a known manufacturing process such as brazing. It is believed that this mounting and brazing process is relatively time-consuming and expensive on a production line.
Thus, it is believed that there is a need to provide a mounting clip for securing a fuel rail with respect to an intake manifold in a single step, i.e., without the need for brazing and mounting bolts or other types of mechanical fasteners.
The present invention provides a clip for mounting an elongated fuel rail with respect to an internal combustion engine. The fuel rail extends along a longitudinal axis and includes a mounting portion at an intermediate positon along the longitudinal axis, and the internal combustion engine includes a recess. In a preferred embodiment, the mounting portion is an enlarged section. The clip comprises a first portion adapted to engage the fuel rail, and a second portion adapted to be slidably received in the recess along a generally transverse axis with respect to the longitudinal axis. The first portion partially surrounds the longitudinal axis and is adapted to engage the enlarged section so as to prevent relative displacement along the longitudinal axis. The second portion is adapted to be releasably retained with respect to the recess.
In a preferred embodiment, a clip is provided for mounting an elongated fuel rail with respect to an internal combustion engine. The fuel rail extends along a longitudinal axis and includes an enlarged section at an intermediate positon along the longitudinal axis, and the internal combustion engine includes a recess. The clip comprises a first portion that is adapted to engage the fuel rail, and a second portion that is adapted to be received in the recess. The first portion partially surrounds the longitudinal axis and is adapted to extend along the longitudinal axis to either side of the enlarged section. The first portion includes a first section defining a first clip end; a second section extending from the first section and adapted to contiguously engage the fuel rail at a first angular location around the longitudinal axis; a third section extending from the second section and adapted to project away from the fuel rail; a fourth section extending from the third section and adapted to be spaced from the enlarged section relative to the longitudinal axis; a fifth section extending from the fourth section and adapted to project toward the fuel rail; a sixth section extending from the fifth section and adapted to contiguously engage the fuel rail at a second angular location around the longitudinal axis; and a seventh section extending from the sixth section and adapted to project away from the fuel rail. The second portion extends from the seventh section.